Buy What You Love, Pay What You Should
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2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione Coupe
First seen in concept-car form at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2003, the Alfa Romeo 8C revived a famous name from the Italian company’s illustrious past when it entered production in 2006. The original 8C (8-cylinder) Alfa engine had been designed in 1931 by the legendary Vittorio Jano and was used to power Alfa Romeo’s…
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Passing Into History
We just put 1,611 delightful miles on our 1965 Giulia Spider Veloce. It was our first real road trip in years, and it brought home the reasons we fool around with these old cars. The occasion was the Alfa Romeo National Convention, held in Rohnert Park, CA, south of Santa Rosa. Good friend Doug Hartman…
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Leasing to Play
Auto leasing hit historic highs in the past couple of years and now finances about 27% of new-car sales. Leasing is particularly popular with the luxury brands — 75% to 80% of new Mercedes-Benzes and about 50% of new BMWs are leased. And specialty collector-car leasing companies such as Putnam Leasing and Premier Financial Services…
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A Boy Racer for the Ages
At first glance, the first-generation BMW M3 looks like a boy racer’s dream. You see a big air dam, a big spoiler and big wheels rolling under big flares. You have to get into this car, start it and roll it down the road before you know exactly what the E30 (BMW’s internal designation for…
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1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster
Delivered new to Mannheim, Germany, this 300SL Roadster was first sold to a Swiss customer. It has had no more than two registered owners since; it also features a factory hard top. Many aficionados consider the configuration of this example as the most desirable variant, with disc brakes in combination with the more reliable cast-iron…
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1945 GMC DUKW 2.5-Ton Amphibian
Initially, the DUKW was rejected by the U.S. Army, but the unexpected rescue of a ship that had run aground convinced them of its efficiency and seaworthiness, subsequently confirmed by a channel crossing. Developed by Sparkman & Stephens in collaboration with General Motors Corporation, each letter of its name has a meaning: “D” for a…
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1955 Lotus Eleven Competition
The Lotus Mk IX was derived from the Mk VIII, Colin Chapman’s first full-bodywork two-seater barchetta. As with the Mk VIII, the Mk IX was designed around a lightweight steel tubular chassis, fitted with aluminum panels. The body was designed by Frank Costin (the “Cos” in “Cosworth”), and built by Williams & Pritchard. It had…
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1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe
With the 250 engine came a family of cars that turned Ferrari from a small-scale marque to a world-renowned manufacturer. This range was based on a powerful 3-liter V12 engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo. The engine was adaptable to use on the road or the track. After the first examples of the 250 Ellena and…
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1961 Jaguar E-Type Barn Find
Introduced in 3.8-liter form in 1961, the Jaguar E-type caused a sensation when it appeared, with instantly classic lines and a 150-mph top speed. Its design owed much to that of the racing D-type: a monocoque tub forming the main structure, while a tubular space frame extended forward to support the engine. The latter was…
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1969 Maserati Mistral Spyder
At the start of the 1950s, Maserati was still producing cars on a small scale. It built high-performance sports cars that were a little too demanding for the wealthy clientèle just starting to appear after the war. The marque wanted to produce models that kept the same allure and were fast, but which had improved…
